Weight Benches Guide: The Right Weight Benches For You

Updated on March 12, 2010

Why so much attention to weight benches? Many people dislike working out in the gym and would prefer to buy weight benches to workout at home instead. Weight benches are great pieces of equipment to have because they are fairly easy to fit into a spare room or rec area and they can easily be combined with weight sets or other weight equipment.

They are also fairly inexpensive. In fact, you can find cheap weight benches at thrift stores and garage sales, where all you need to provide is weight plates to go with them. Once you have determined where you can obtain your weight bench, then the next question is what kind of exercises can you do with weight benches and what muscles of your body can you develop with weight lifting benches.

Adjustable Weight Benches

Most people use weight benches for just bar and plate type exercise; some don't realize that weight benches are perfect all around workout benches. For instance they provide you with the perfect surface to do bicep and tricep exercises, and they also work great for doing things like leg curls and extensions with ankle weights. You can sit on the bench and do curls with dumbbells or you can use resistance bands or other types of weight lifting equipment. Then you can use the bench to use the free weights and do kickbacks or “pushing exercises.”

You'll want to put one hand on the bench while extending the dumb bell backwards and upwards. Make sure that you extend your arm all the way out. This will work out your main tricep muscles. There are actually three muscles that make up your triceps, but this exercise will work the largest and main one. You can do 6 to 8 reps (repetitions) if you are trying to build mass or 10 to 12 if you are trying to build lean muscle.

weight benches

Using Weight Benches For Chest Exercises

You'll want to make sure your bench is one of the adjustable weight benches available. That way the exercise bench is comfortable and fits you well. Then you can put as much weight on the bar as is comfortable for you to be able to do 6 to 8 reps (or more if you are trying to build lean muscle). You'll want to make sure to use incline weight benches to work different parts of your chest. You don't need Olympic weight benches to do these exercises, just a functional adjustable bench will do.

Using Weight Benches For Leg Exercises

You can use weight benches as regular exercise benches as well. You can do leg lifts, crunches and many other types of exercises. A weights bench can be used for so many different functions that it is worth it to have one around, and in fact it can help you workout nearly every part of your body from your arms to your legs, stomach and back. If you are looking for a recommendation, Weider weight benches are a very good brand, and range from about $150 for a simple weight bench, to upwards of $600 if you want a weight bench with all the bells and whistles. Whichever brand you choose, just make sure that you are comfortable with it, and that it fits your height and body shape.

Weight Benches For Getting In Shape

Weight benches are great if you want to get in shape because they allow you to work out all kinds of muscles. You are able to work out your triceps and biceps with the help of some dumb bells. Then, with a weight bar and some free weights you are able to work out your chest muscles, as long as you are able to incline and decline your weight bench. In addition, you are able to do a myriad of other exercises on the weight bench. So shop carefully and get yourself a weight bench that you are comfortable with.

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